Photocatalyst protection

ABSTRACT

An air treatment system includes a filter and heating element, a plasma device, and a photocatalyst and UV light that cooperate to purify an air stream flowing through the air treatment system and protect the photocatalyst from passivating effects of certain contaminants. The air treatment system operates in two different modes. In the first mode, the air treatment system primarily draws air from and returns air to a space, and the heating element and plasma device are selectively shut off. In the second mode, the air treatment system regenerates the filter using the heating element to selectively heat the filter and release adsorbed contaminants. The plasma device is selectively turned on and chemically transforms the released contaminants into solid contaminant products. The solid contaminant products are deposited on a biased electrode of the plasma device. The UV light is turned off to ensure that the photocatalyst is inoperable during the release and transformation of the contaminants. Once deposited, the essentially immobile and inert solid contaminant products are unlikely to damage the photocatalyst.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to air treatment modules and, more particularly,to protecting a photocatalyst in the air treatment module using a coronadischarge device to remove contaminants from the air handling airstream.

Air treatment modules are commonly used in automotive, commercial andresidential heating, ventilating, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems tomove and purify air. Typically, an air stream flowing through the airtreatment module includes trace amounts of contaminants such asbiospecies, dust, particles, odors, carbon monoxide, ozone,semi-volatile organic compounds (SVOCs), volatile organic compounds(VOCs) such as formaldehyde, acetaldehyde, toluene, propanol, butene,and silicon-containing VOCs.

Typically, a filter and a photocatalyst are used to purify the airstream by removing and/or destroying the contaminants. A typical filterincludes a filter media that physically separates contaminants from theair stream. A typical photocatalyst includes a titanium dioxide coatedmonolith, such as a honeycomb, and an ultraviolet light source. Thetitanium dioxide operates as a photocatalyst to destroy contaminantswhen illuminated by ultraviolet light. Photons of the ultraviolet lightare absorbed by the titanium dioxide, promoting an electron from thevalence band to the conduction band, thus producing a hole in thevalence band and adding an electron in the conduction band. The promotedelectron reacts with oxygen, and the hole remaining in the valence bandreacts with water, forming reactive hydroxyl radicals. When contaminantsin the air stream flow through the honeycomb and are adsorbed onto thetitanium dioxide coating, the hydroxyl radicals attack and oxidize thecontaminants to water, carbon dioxide, and other substances. Theultraviolet light also kills the biospecies in the airflow that areirradiated.

Disadvantageously, typical air treatment module filters have a finitecontaminant capacity. Once the contaminant capacity is reached, thefilter does not physically separate additional contaminants from the airstream. Contaminants in the air stream may then flow through the filterand become oxidized by the photocatalyst. This is particularlytroublesome when the photocatalyst oxidizes silicon-containing VOCs orSVOCs to form a silicon-based glass on the photocatalyst surface. Thesilicon-based glass may insulate the titanium dioxide from the passingair stream, thereby passivating the titanium dioxide. In severeinstances, much of the catalytic activity of the photocatalyst may belost within two weeks of reaching the contaminant capacity of thefilter. To prevent photocatalyst passivation, the filter may be replacedbefore reaching the contaminant capacity or additional filters may beutilized to physically separate a greater amount of the contaminants,however, the maintenance required to replace a filter in short timeintervals or continually monitor a filter may be expensive andinconvenient.

Accordingly, an air treatment module that more effectively protects thephotocatalyst from passivating contaminants is needed.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In general terms, this invention is a system and method for protecting aphotocatalyst in an air treatment system from passivation caused byoxidation of certain contaminants.

In one example, the air treatment module includes a filter and heatingelement, a plasma device, and a photocatalyst and UV light thatcooperate to purify an air stream flowing through the air treatmentmodule. The air treatment module operates in two different modes. In thefirst mode, the air treatment module primarily draws air from andreturns air to a space, and the heating element and plasma device areshut off. In the second mode, the air treatment module regenerates thefilter using the heating element to heat the filter and release adsorbedcontaminants. The plasma device is selectively turned on and chemicallytransforms the released contaminants into solid contaminant products,which are deposited on a biased electrode of the plasma device. The UVlight is turned off to ensure that the photocatalyst is inoperableduring the release and transformation of the contaminants. Oncedeposited, the essentially immobile and inert solid contaminant productsare unlikely to damage the photocatalyst.

An example method includes retaining the contaminants in the gas flowpath when the photocatalyst is in an on condition, releasing thecontaminants into the gas flow path when the photocatalyst is in an offcondition, and chemically transforming the contaminants into differentchemically transformed contaminants.

The various features and advantages of this invention will becomeapparent to those skilled in the art from the following detaileddescription of the currently preferred embodiment. The drawings thataccompany the detailed description can be briefly described as follows.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a HVAC system including an air treatment module.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an example air treatment module.

FIG. 3 is a schematic view of an example filter, plasma device, andphotocatalyst.

FIG. 4 is a schematic view another example of the filter of FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a schematic view an example air treatment module that includesan ozone-destroying material.

FIG. 6 is a schematic view of another air treatment module configurationthat includes a second plasma device.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

FIG. 1 illustrates a residential, commercial, vehicular, or otherstructure 10 including an interior space 12, such as a room, office orvehicle cabin. An HVAC system 14 heats or cools the interior space 12.Air in the interior space 12 is drawn into the HVAC system 14 through aninlet path 16. The HVAC system 14 changes the temperature and purifiesthe air drawn using an air treatment module 18. The purified,temperature-changed air is then returned to the interior space 12through an outlet path 20.

FIG. 2 illustrates a perspective view of an example air treatment module18. The air treatment module 18 includes a compressor 30 for drawing andreturning the air. Air drawn from the interior space 12 flows in an airstream 32 into a filter cabinet 34, which forms an air flow path throughthe air treatment module 18. The filter cabinet 34 encloses a filter 36,plasma device 38, and photocatalyst 40 that cooperate to purify the airstream 32. The air stream 32 continues through the filter cabinet to thecoils 42. The coils 42 heat or cool the air stream 32, depending on thedesired interior space 12 temperature. After being heated or cooled, thecompressor 30 returns the air stream 32 to the interior space 12 throughthe outlet path 20. It is to be understood that the air treatment module18 shown is only one example and that the invention is not limited tosuch a configuration.

FIG. 3 illustrates a schematic view of an example filter 36, plasmadevice 38, and photocatalyst 40. The filter 36 receives the air stream32 and adsorbs contaminants from the air stream 32. The filter 36includes a known activated carbon filter media held between layers of afibrous mesh 44. In one example, the known activated carbon is modified,impregnated, or pore-controlled. As is known, a modifier such aspotassium permanganate or other modifier may be impregnated in theactivated carbon to modify the adsorptive properties of the activatedcarbon. The pore volume of the activated carbon may also be controlledwithin a desired range to modify the adsorptive properties. Thesefeatures may provide the advantage of designing the filter 36 topreferentially adsorb certain contaminants, such as formaldehyde,acetaldehyde, toluene, propanol, butene, silicon-containing VOCs, orother VOCs.

In another example, the filter 36 may additionally utilize a zeoliteand/or other type of filter media mixed with the activated carbonbetween the layers of fibrous mesh 44 to obtain preferential adsorptionof certain contaminants. Alternatively, the activated carbon filtermedia may be integrated with the fibrous mesh 44 by coating theactivated carbon onto fibers that make the fibrous mesh 44.

In another example, the activated carbon filter media is provided in afirst layer 46 and the zeolite media and/or other filter media may beprovided in an adjacent second layer 48, as illustrated in FIG. 4.

A heating element 50, which is discussed in more detail below, surroundsthe filter 36 and is selectively operable between and on and an offcondition.

In one example, the plasma device 40 is located generally downstreamfrom the filter 36 and is selectively operable between an on and an offcondition. Preferably the plasma device 38 is a corona discharge devicethat generates a plasma glow discharge. Even more preferably, the plasmadevice 38 includes a biased electrode 54, such as a wire cathode.

The photocatalyst 40 is, in one example, located downstream from theplasma device 38. Preferably the photocatalyst 40 is a titanium dioxidecoated monolith, such as a honeycomb, that operates as a photocatalystto destroy contaminants when illuminated with an ultraviolet (UV) light56. It is to be understood that photocatalyst materials other thantitanium dioxide and configurations other than shown (for example,integrating the photocatalyst 40 with the filter 36 in a single unitaryfibrous or honeycomb structure) may be utilized.

The UV light 56 is selectively operable between an on condition in whichthe photocatalyst 40 operates to destroy contaminants, and an offcondition in which the photocatalyst 40 is inoperable. In one example,the UV light 56 illuminates the photocatalyst 40 with UV-C rangewavelengths, however, other UV wavelength ranges may be utilizeddepending on the type of photocatalyst and/or air purifying needs of theair treatment module 18.

Operationally, the exemplary air treatment module 18 functions in twodifferent modes. In the first mode, the air treatment module 18functions primarily to move air from and return air to the interiorspace 12 and to purify the air. In the first mode, the heating element50 is selectively turned off, the plasma device 38 is selectively turnedoff, and the UV light 56 is selectively turned on. Thus, the filter 36captures, traps, and adsorbs certain contaminants from the air stream32, such as VOCs and SVOCs, and the photocatalyst 40 operates to destroyother contaminants that pass through the filter 36. The heating element50 and plasma device 38 do not function in the first mode, however, inother examples it may be advantageous to simultaneously operate theheating element 50 and plasma device 38 with the functions of filteringand moving the air.

In the second mode, the air treatment module 18 functions primarily toregenerate the filter 36. That is, the activated carbon or otheradsorbent filter media is conditioned to desorb the previously adsorbedcontaminants. The air stream 32 is shut off such that there isessentially zero air flow in the filter cabinet 34. The heating element50 is selectively turned on and heats the filter 36 to approximately100° C., although other heating temperatures or heating profiles mayalso be utilized. The filter 36 desorbs and releases the contaminantspreviously adsorbed. The plasma device 38 is selectively turned on andgenerates a plasma, and the UV light 56 is preferably turned off toprevent the photocatalyst 40 from oxidizing the released contaminants.

The filter cabinet 34 holds the released contaminants and actsessentially as a reactor vessel for the plasma device 38. The releasedcontaminants, such as VOCs, SVOCs, or other contaminants that the filter36 was designed to adsorb/release, contact the plasma generated by theplasma device 38. The plasma chemically transforms the contaminants intosolid contaminant products and deposits the solid contaminant productsonto a receiving portion, the biased electrode 54. Once deposited, theessentially immobile and inert solid contaminant products are unlikelyto damage the photocatalyst 40. In one example, the plasma deposits thesolid contaminant products onto a wire cathode. After a predeterminednumber of deposit cycles, the wire cathode is removed from the plasmadevice 38 and discarded or cleaned.

While in the second mode, the heating element 50 and plasma device 38operate for a selected predetermined amount of time. Preferably, thetime is adequate to i) release most of the contaminants from the filter36, and thus regenerate the filter 36 and ii) transform the contaminantsto solid contaminant products. The time required will vary withtemperature, size and type of filter media, size of the filter cabinet34, and the size and type of plasma device 38 used.

Preferably, the UV light 56 remains off when switching from the secondmode to the first mode to protect the photocatalyst 40 from anyremaining contaminants that have not been transformed to solidcontaminant products. The air stream 32 flows through the filter cabinet34 for a selected predetermined amount of time to purge the remainingreleased contaminants before turning on the UV light 56 to operate thephotocatalyst 40.

In another example, the contaminant products include organic siliconcompounds, such as silicon-containing VOCs and silicon-containing SVOCs.The filter 36 releases the organic silicon compounds upon heating andthe plasma generated by the plasma device 38 chemically transforms theorganic silicon compounds into silicon dioxide or other silicon-basedglass. The plasma deposits the silicon dioxide or other silicon-basedglass on the biased electrode 54.

In another example, the filter 36 includes a single pleated layer with apleating factor of about 8 and about 100 g of activated carbon filtermedia. The filter 36 adsorbs approximately 90% of the organic siliconcompounds in the incoming air stream 32 and takes approximately twelvehours to reach full capacity in first mode operation. Near the twelvehour time, the air treatment module 18 utilizes, for example, acontroller to automatically switch into the second mode and regeneratethe filter 36. Alternatively or in addition to the controller, anoperator may control the switching between modes.

In another example shown in FIG. 5, an ozone-destroying material 58,such as a known metal oxide catalyst, is included between the plasmadevice 38 and the photocatalyst 40. The ozone-destroying material 58 maybe disposed on a honeycomb structure 60, for example, and receives ozonefrom the plasma device 38 before switching the UV light 56 on. Theozone-destroying material 58 adsorbs ozone onto the surface anddecomposes the ozone. This feature may provide the advantage of exposingthe photocatalyst 40 to less ozone, which may contribute tophotocatalyst 40 passivation. It is to be understood that theozone-destroying material 58 may alternatively be positioned in otherlocations in the filter cabinet 34 than shown.

FIG. 6 illustrates a schematic view of another air treatment module 18configuration including a second plasma device 138 surrounding thefilter 36. The second plasma device 138 includes a biased electrode 154and operates similarly to and in conjunction with the plasma device 38to chemically transform released contaminants into solid contaminantproducts. Utilizing the second plasma device 138 may provide the benefitof shorter times to fully chemically transform the contaminants releasedfrom the filter 36 or greater efficiency in transforming the releasedcontaminants. Likewise, a multitude of additional plasma devices may beused.

Although a preferred embodiment of this invention has been disclosed, aworker of ordinary skill in this art would recognize that certainmodifications would come within the scope of this invention. For thatreason, the following claims should be studied to determine the truescope and content of this invention.

1. A gas treatment system for treating a gas stream containingcontaminants comprising: a filter disposed in a gas flow path; aphotocatalyst in fluid communication with said filter; and a plasmadevice in fluid communication with said photocatalyst, said plasmadevice positioned to treat contaminants in the gas flow path.
 2. Thesystem as recited in claim 1, wherein said plasma device is positionedupstream from said photocatalyst.
 3. The system as recited in claim 1,wherein said plasma device is positioned downstream from said filter. 4.The system as recited in claim 1, wherein said filter retains at least aportion of the contaminants in the gas stream when said photocatalyst isin an on condition and later selectively releases the contaminants whensaid photocatalyst is in an off condition, and said plasma device ispositioned adjacent to said filter to chemically transform thecontaminants that said filter releases.
 5. The system as recited inclaim 4, wherein said filter includes a heater, and said heater heatssaid filter to selectively release the contaminants.
 6. The system asrecited in claim 4, including an ozone-destroying material in fluidcommunication with said plasma device, said ozone-destroying materialreceiving ozone at least from said plasma device.
 7. The system asrecited in claim 1, wherein said filter at least includes activatedcarbon that adsorbs contaminants from the gas stream to retain thecontaminants when the gas stream contacts the activated carbon.
 8. Thesystem as recited in claim 1, wherein said plasma device is one of aplurality of plasma devices in fluid communication with saidphotocatalyst.
 9. A gas treatment system for treating a gas streamcontaining contaminants comprising: first and second gas treatmentmembers in fluid communication with each other and each of the first andsecond gas treatment members is selectively controllable between an onand an off condition; a third gas treatment member in fluidcommunication with the first and second gas treatment members, and thethird gas treatment member selectively retains or releases thecontaminants based upon the on or off condition of at least one of thefirst or second gas treatment members.
 10. The system as recited inclaim 9, wherein the third gas treatment member releases thecontaminants when at least one of the first or second gas treatmentmembers is in the off condition.
 11. The system as recited in claim 10,wherein the first or second gas treatment members that is in the offcondition includes a photocatalyst and a light source.
 12. The system asrecited in claim 11, wherein the other of the first or second gastreatment members that is in the off condition includes a plasma devicethat is in the on condition and generates a plasma when the third gastreatment member releases the contaminants.
 13. The system as recited inclaim 12, wherein the third gas treatment member includes an adsorptivefilter and a heater, and the adsorptive filter releases contaminantswhen the heater provides heat and retains contaminants when the heaterdoes not provide heat.
 14. A method of preventing a gas treatment memberfrom receiving selected contaminants in a gas flow path comprising thesteps of: (a) retaining the contaminants in the gas flow path when thegas treatment member is in a first condition; (b) releasing thecontaminants into the gas flow path when the gas treatment member is ina different second condition; and (c) chemically transforming thecontaminants into different chemically transformed contaminants.
 15. Themethod as recited in claim 14, wherein the gas treatment member includesa photocatalyst and an associated light source for respectivelyactivating or deactivating the photocatalyst when the associated lightsource is on or off, and the first condition includes the light sourcebeing on and the second condition includes the light source being off.16. The method as recited in claim 14, wherein the step (b) includesreleasing the contaminants when a gas flow in the gas flow path is aboutzero and the step (c) includes chemically transforming the contaminantswhen a gas flow in the gas flow path is about zero.
 17. The method asrecited in claim 14, wherein the step (a) includes adsorbing thecontaminants onto an adsorptive media.
 18. The method as recited inclaim 17, wherein the step (b) includes heating the adsorptive media.19. The method as recited in claim 14, wherein the step (c) includesgenerating a plasma and exposing the contaminants to the plasma toproduce the chemically transformed contaminants.
 20. The method asrecited in claim 19, wherein the step (c) includes depositing thechemically transformed contaminants on a receiving portion of a plasmadevice.